New York Diaries Pt.1

I have some crazy news: I now live in Manhattan. I always knew I was going to inevitably move here as I have been talking about it since I was in Elementary school. I remember my first trip going to New York City in 1st grade, where I got to visit my uncle who mainly makes his living playing double reeds in Broadway shows. I remember him having this very fast-paced “don’t mess with me” kind of New York walk that I thought was just way too cool. It was the kind of to-the-point walk that made him stand out from all the leisurely- paced tourists trying to navigate midtown.

Even in 1st grade, I tried my best not to look like a tourist, though I most definitely was. I wanted so badly to belong to a place where things happened on a larger scale, and now, 15 years later, I finally do.

I am constantly in awe of my surroundings- it is equally both inspiring and unsettling. In a town where everyone is trying to make a dollar, there is a lot of pressure to standout. As a recent graduate, this can be daunting to say the least, but what I lack in credentials, I gain in ambition. It’s funny though, as I can go from having the greatest sense of self- assurance and confidence to being completely unsure of myself on every level. Needless to say, this city has already humbled me quite a bit.

As I walk on the most glamorous streets like 5th Avenue, I am also amazed at the juxtaposition between the very wealthy and the very impoverished. Money pours selectively through the streets of New York while at the same time, there are homeless people, many times with their dogs, hoping someone can look up from their iPhone long enough to give them some love. This is the part of New York people rarely mention. New York truly is as wildly beautiful as it is tragic.

On a lighter note, I’ve gotten to immerse myself in the glorious art of Manhattan. From viewing genuine Basquiat pieces (one of my all- time favorite artists), to getting to view my uncle play at one of the most iconic Jazz clubs in the world, Birdland, every Friday night, I have really been spoiled with creative culture. It has been only a month and I feel like I have seen more in the few weeks here than I have in my entire life time back in my hometown.

I’ve gotten to explore and make new friendships with my lovely roomies and ride the magical 1 train practically everywhere (being sarcastic on the magical part- the 1 train sucks.) I also live in a super cute apartment, and have established a place I can call my own (check out the pictures below!)

I can not possibly imagine living anywhere else at the moment- New York kind of ruins everywhere else for you because nothing really compares. It is a fantastic place to live in, especially in your twenties, when you’re mind is constantly changing and evolving.

Though it is not the easiest route to take in life (or the cheapest!), I know I can make this whole New York thing work for me. I’ll leave this little post with one of my all- time favorite quotes that constantly reminds me what makes this city so great:

“There are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or woman who was born here, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size and its turbulence as natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter — the city that is devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. …Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness; natives give it solidity and continuity; but the settlers give it passion. ” ― E.B. White, Here Is New York